Published on March 03, 2006

Momentum Continues on Proposed Health Care Center in Long Branch

New Facility Would Expand Access to Health Care Services

Takoma Park, MD. – Washington Adventist Hospital continues to move forward with the development of a health care center to improve access to health care services in the Long Branch community of Silver Spring and surrounding areas. The Montgomery County Planning Board will consider the project in a public hearing on March 9, 2006.

The proposed facility, located at the intersection of Arliss Street and Flower Avenue, would include an urgent care center, imaging services, physician offices, and other primary health care services. In addition, the project would create an estimated 116 new jobs. The project is a key element of Washington Adventist Hospital’s Vision for Expanded Access to health care services in the local community.

A recent study by the Urban Land Institute, a group that provides technical assistance on real estate and land use issues to jurisdictions and non-profit organizations, described Washington Adventist Hospital’s proposed health care center as “a unique opportunity of which the community should take advantage…[the project] could be the lever to kick-off redevelopment [of the Long Branch community].” In January, Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan included $2.1 million in his proposed County budget to support the project.

“We are committed to serving our community and are very pleased to have the planning board consider this important project,” said William G. “Bill” Robertson, President and CEO of Adventist HealthCare. “The health center facility will help to expand access to care for all residents in the community, and will also be a catalyst for revitalizing Long Branch.”
“The health care center in Long Branch is an important component of Washington Adventist Hospital’s Vision for Expanded Access,” said Jere D. Stocks, President of Washington Adventist Hospital. Announced last year, the hospital’s Vision for Expanded Access includes seven key elements designed to enhance access to care for all in the community and provide for improved health care facilities and services:

• Development of a health care center in the Long Branch community to improve access to care for under-served populations.
• Development of a Center on Health Disparities that combines clinical care, research and health careers training for historically under-served populations within the hospital’s service area.
• A contribution to the completion of the health center/gymnasium that is part of the re-development of the Takoma Park municipal building.
• Working with various partners on a multi-year commitment to expand available health care resources to under-served communities in Montgomery & Prince George’s counties.
• Re-development of the hospital’s Board of Directors to better reflect the diversity of the community served by the hospital.
• Initiation of the process of moving Washington Adventist Hospital to a new campus within the hospital’s current service area that reduces the hospital’s impact on residential communities while enhancing the hospital’s ability to meet the needs of all residents.
• Formal pledge to continue contributing a significant percentage of its patient revenue to uncompensated care.

More information about the Expanded Vision is available at www.MontgomeryHealthAccess.com.

Adventist HealthCare  is an integrated health care delivery organization based in Rockville, Maryland, that is one of the largest employers in the state of Maryland. Adventist Healthcare includes Washington Adventist Hospital, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, Potomac Ridge Behavioral Health System, Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland, Adventist Senior Living Services, Adventist Health Careers Training Center, Hackettstown Regional Medical Center, Cytology Services of Maryland, Maryland Regional Cancer Care, Greater Washington Sleep Disorder Centers, and Adventist Home Health.